Class of 2029 Early Action and Early Decision Release Dates

Amidst finals season and holiday celebrations, students who applied to college Early Action (EA) or Early Decision (ED) are anxiously awaiting to hear back about their admissions decision. Early admissions opportunities have become an increasingly desirable option for students and institutions alike, offering a slight boost to applicants’ chances of admission and to universities’ yield rates. This means that more students than ever are opting to apply early—last early application cycle saw a 41% increase over the 2019-20 cycle in applications submitted before November 1st. Many students are anxiously awaiting their admissions decisions.

While this time of year can be particularly stressful as the anticipation rises, if you applied early, learning about when you can expect to hear back from your school can help to ease your nerves. Here’s our guide to navigating the month of December as an early action or early decision applicant!

I’m anxious to hear back from my Early Action or Early Decision school — what should I be doing while I wait?

This month can be particularly nerve-wracking, and that’s okay! Here are three things you can do while you await your admissions decisions:

1. Keep your grades up: it’s easy to let senioritis sneak up on you, but it’s important to maintain top grades this semester, especially as you take finals this December. If you don’t receive an early acceptance, your grades will remain in consideration at your RD schools.
2. Keep working on your regular decision applications:
   1. If you applied Early Decision, the best-case scenario is that you never submit these applications, but in the event that you are deferred or rejected, it’s important that you have polished applications at the ready. Last minute applications are rarely as strong as those that you have devoted time to writing and polishing.
   2. If you applied Early Action, there might be a handful (or more) of schools that you’re still interested in applying to, no matter what your Early Actions results are. Don’t procrastinate these applications: it’s important to give yourself enough time to submit the best work you can.
3. Finally, focus on enjoying your senior year. This will be your last holiday season as a high school student living at home—spend lots of time with your family and friends!

EA/ED decisions have been released for my dream school—what do I do now?

Whether celebrating an acceptance, grappling with rejection, or navigating the stress of a deferral, the release of EA/ED decisions brings a wide range of emotions for students. If you are unsure of your next steps, our comprehensive guide to decision outcomes offers clear, actionable steps you can take—no matter the decision you’ve received! From writing a letter of continued interest to re-evaluating your college list and navigating EDII applications, discover what you can be doing to set yourself up for success.

When should I expect to hear back from my EA/ED school?

Below you will find a list of schools that have released their decision dates. We are updating the list in real time as schools verify their decision dates, so check back in if your school does not yet appear on the list!